


Yule Shoot Your Eye Out!

by marvelousfangirl01



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Ben Solo Deserved Better, Christmas Fluff, Family Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Children, Life Day (Star Wars), Light Angst, Multi, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, snoke is a scheming bitch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:54:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28218036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelousfangirl01/pseuds/marvelousfangirl01
Summary: “I think something is wrong with Ben.”Leia and Han both spoke simultaneously. “...Wrong?”Luke blushed, embarrassed by his choice of words. “Well, no, not wrong. His Force abilities are completely normal for his age and situation. But…” Luke fumbled for an easy way to say this. After a moment, he decided to simply speak the truth. “He seems to be tapping into the Dark Side.”Leia shook her head. “No. I can't...” She gritted her teeth, wishing she could erase what she had already been exposed to, many times in her visions: a boy, cloaked in dark robes, with a mask covering his once gentle face. “Not now.”Han put a soothing hand on her back. “Hey. We… should be open to change.” He said, looking Luke in the eye with uncertainty. “Ben is talented with the Force, we already knew that. But we can’t let problems rise.”Seven-year-old Ben Solo receives a special gift on Life Day. Unfortunately, this gift sets his Voice awake, and his family begins to worry.
Relationships: Leia Organa & Ben Solo & Han Solo, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Luke Skywalker & Han Solo, Snoke & Ben Solo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Yule Shoot Your Eye Out!

**Author's Note:**

> I found this title prompt on Tumblr and wanted to explore one of my favorite eras: young Ben Solo and his family. :) It's the holiday season, so why not have a bit of fun with fic and write some fluffy-angsty holiday stuff???
> 
> Also, the 1-year anniversary of Rise of Skywalker was yesterday, so that got me in my feels a bit
> 
> Enjoy!

Ben Solo was thrilled. 

This Life Day was everything he had dreamt it would be. Ben was awake as soon as light streamed in through his bedroom window. He’d laid in bed, quietly pondering the best way to wake his parents, until he finally gave up and knocked loudly on their door. Once they were awake (which took far longer than he had planned for), he ran to the living room with them.

And then, he saw the glowing tree. The shimmering presents beneath. The sheen of white that coated the ground outside. And it was perfect.

Leia sat cross-legged on the floor across from her seven-year-old son, watching as the child’s eyes glimmered with joy. A round gift wrapped in glimmery paper floated to Ben—though this wasn’t Leia’s doing. Luke sat on the ottoman beside the tree, playfully outstretching a hand to levitate the gift to Ben. Leia exhaled a gentle laugh, looking on at her brother and son, and then admiring the scene around her. 

This was the first traditional Life Day she’d experienced as an adult… the one she’d read about and saw so often in holodramas. During the days of the Rebellion, the soldiers would occasionally exchange gifts; and Han had always brought her something special during the early days of their marriage, before they’d had Ben. Leia, Han, and Ben had celebrated together in their apartment previously, but even that couldn’t top the boisterous scene before her. 

Everything was perfect, from the cold snow outside to the warmth of her family inside. She wondered if her eyes were as bright as her son’s.

“Mom!” Ben exclaimed, opening the round gift. “I got a new puzzle!” As if to make sure it was truly real, the boy shook the box, hearing the pieces shift around.

Leia smiled wide at her son and leaned over on her elbows. “That’s from your Uncle Lando, Ben.” Leia said, remembering Lando’s recent holo-call to their family. He’d apparently made a special order to a shop in Cloud City, who created the puzzle just for Ben. 

Ben read the card from Lando, murmuring out loud as he read. Luke leaned over Ben’s shoulder to read with him.

Leia was startled as she felt a familiar pair of lips brush her cheek. Han sat down next to her with two cups of coffee. Leia glanced at the mug, smirking as she noticed the pattern. “Angry gingerbread men?”

“You know it.” Han replied. He laughed unabashedly and held up his own mug. “A toast, to Life Day.”

“A toast.” Leia leaned over and kissed her husband, then settled into his shoulder to continue watching their son.

Ben reached under the tree for a larger gift, one that was nearly taller than him. Seeing the large box, his heart began to race. A large box automatically meant a big present.

Ben tore into the paper, eager to see what was inside. He could feel something heavy. The box was slick. He ran his hands over it in giddiness.

_“What are you doing, young one?”_

“Unwrapping Life Day presents.” Ben murmured as he worked to tear a piece of wrapping paper away. His Voice was here too? 

_“I see your family is here, too. I see your Uncle Luke. I see your mother and I see your father.”_

“How can you see them?” Ben asked, a bit confused. Was his Voice a person, like him? Maybe it was hiding somewhere in the living room. Ben, curious, looked around the room for anything unusual. “Are you here?” Ben momentarily put the large gift aside and crawled under the tree. “Are you hiding?”

“Ben, what are you doing?” Leia inquired as Ben wriggled out from beneath the tree. His head bumped one of the green branches. 

“Nothing.” Ben said to his mom, shaking his head quickly. He continued unwrapping the box until he finally removed all of the wrapping paper. Revealing… 

A BB blaster! Safely contained in its perfect box, with the labels and specs written out in glorious design along the edges. 

Ben could hardly believe his eyes.

“Oh, Force.” Leia clapped a hand over her mouth, shocked, as Han exploded into laughter. Ben squealed, unable to contain himself.

“Look! It’s a BB blaster! Everyone at school has been wanting this exact model, and now I got it!” Ben chattered uncontrollably, parading around the room to show the gun to everyone.

“I thought of that one. Bought it with my own credits.” Han leaned back proudly, wrapping an arm around Leia, while tucking the other one behind his head. 

“I’m sure you did, hotshot.” Leia shook her head in disappointment, worming out from under Han’s arm. 

“You’re a very lucky young boy.” Luke beamed, rustling Ben’s hair.

“Lucky?! He’ll shoot his eye out!” Leia protested.

_“You’ll shoot your eye out. You’ll shoot your eye out. You’ll shoot your—”_

“Everyone.” Ben stood up, gently placing the blaster box on the floor. His mom and his Voice _had_ to listen. Ben would be very careful. Everyone would see how grown-up he was. Dad could probably even teach him how to shoot. Ben explained this much to his mom, who seemed unenthused.

Giving up on debating with his mom, Ben instead ran to his dad to hug him and thank him. His dad clapped him gently on the back and whispered in his ear, “Of course I’ll teach you how to shoot, buddy. We just gotta make sure your mom isn’t around to see.” 

_“You’ll shoot your eye out.”_

Ben started to walk away, back to the tree. “I won’t. I’ll be careful. Now… please be quiet.” Ben muttered, frustrated as he reached under the tree for the next gift. He doubted anyone could hear him over his mom’s worried rambling. 

_“You’re too young. Too nervous. Too stupid. I’m sure you couldn’t handle a gun properly if you tried.”_

“My dad will teach me.” Ben said sternly.

_“Will he? He’s never around much. It’s a miracle he was around for Life Day.”_

“He likes to travel.”

_“He likes to be away from his family. He could never settle down long enough. He doesn’t need you or his family. And you don’t need him.”_

“Stop!” Whoops. Too loud. Ben flushed, feeling Uncle Luke’s attention on him.

“Ben?” Luke asked, concerned. Ben blinked and stared up at the man, whose face was laced with worry. 

“What’s wrong?” Luke scooped him up, balancing him on his knee. 

“Nothing. Everything is fine.” Ben tried to push off, tried to get back to unwrapping the presents. He didn’t ever talk about his Voice, never, not to anyone.

But Luke held Ben still. 

“What happened?” Leia inquired. She noticed Ben’s change in behavior—first through the Force, and then when she physically looked up and saw his pallor. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong!” Ben exclaimed, frustration flaring. “Please let me go—let me go, Uncle Luke.”

“Let him down.” Han stood now, walking to the scene. Luke released Ben, and he walked away, but was blocked by his mom and now his dad.

Everyone was crowding around Ben now—it made him nervous. Ben’s frustration turned into fear. 

_“They’re hurting you, aren’t they? Get away from them.”_

Ben wiped his eyes, which had begun to brim with tears he hadn’t noticed were there. Ben bolted away, down the hall to his room. Once inside, he shut the door quickly and leaned against it. They couldn’t come after him. They wouldn’t. 

“I ruined things for him.” Leia set her mug down, upset. She spoke in a hushed voice. “But I was… surprised. Han, he’s seven. You can’t buy a seven-year-old a BB blaster!”

Han looked like he wanted to argue, but Luke stood up before he could speak. “This isn’t about you, Leia,” Somehow, he managed to say that in a non-condescending tone. Luke’s hand drifted to his chin. “I think something is wrong with Ben.”

Leia and Han both spoke simultaneously. “...Wrong?”

Luke blushed, embarrassed by his choice of words. “Well, no, not _wrong._ His Force abilities are completely normal for his age and circumstances. But…” Luke fumbled for an easy way to say this. After a moment, he decided to simply speak the truth. “He seems to be tapping into the Dark Side.”

Leia shook her head. “No. I can’t…” She gritted her teeth, wishing she could erase what she had already been exposed to, many times in her visions: a boy, cloaked in dark robes, with a mask covering his once gentle face. “Not now.”

Han put a soothing hand on her back. “Hey. We… should be open to change.” He said, looking Luke in the eye with uncertainty. “Ben is talented with the Force, we already knew that. But we can’t let problems rise.”

“Problems?!” Leia spat. She felt her eyes burn with hot tears. “Ben is not a problem. I will not accept this.” She turned away from Han’s touch, searching for an escape. “I just… I need to leave for a bit.”

Leia did not storm away, for she was not one to storm. Instead, she walked with dignity and poise, the way she always did—which made it more unsettling.

Han offered Luke the rest of his coffee. Luke took it. “Interesting turn of events, eh?” Luke said softly.

“Yeah. Happy Life Day to you, too.” Han plopped down on the sofa. Luke followed. While Han laughed about it, Luke sensed the strong darkness in this family. Leia and Ben’s anger was like ink spreading across a page. 

Luke would train Ben Solo, whether Leia allowed it or not.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if you enjoyed this! Kudos or comments are always appreciated. <33


End file.
